Aechmea plant named ‘Pink Tango’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aechmea  plant named ‘Pink Tango’, characterized by its upright and to slightly outwardly arching growth habit; large light green-colored leaves with dense trichomes giving a silvery appearance; freely-flowering inflorescences held upright and above the foliar plane on straight strong red purple-colored scapes; compact, dense and branched inflorescences with red purple-colored flower and scape bracts; and long-lasting inflorescences.

Botanical designation: Aechmea dichlamydea var. dichlamydea X (Aechmea tessmanii X Aechmea fasciata).

Cultivar denomination: ‘PINK TANGO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Aechmea plant, botanically known as Aechmea dichlamydea var. dichlamydea X (Aechmea tessmanii X Aechmea fasciata) and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pink Tango’.

The new Aechmea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Aechmea plants with unique foliage and inflorescence coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Aechmea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2005 in Princeton, Fla., of an unnamed selection of Aechmea dichlamydea var. dichlamydea, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Aechmea tessmanii x Aechmea fasciata, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aechmea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aechmea plant by offsets in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Aechmea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aechmea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pink Tango’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pink Tango’ as a new and distinct Aechmea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and to slightly outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Large light green-colored leaves with dense trichomes giving         a silvery appearance.     -   3. Freely-flowering inflorescences held upright and above the         foliar plane on straight strong red purple-colored scapes.     -   4. Compact, dense and branched inflorescences with red         purple-colored flower and scape bracts.     -   5. Long-lasting inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aechmea differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Aechmea are light silvery green         in color whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection         are darker green in color.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are more compact         and denser than inflorescences of plants of the female parent         selection.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are upright         whereas inflorescences of plants of the female parent selection         are recurved.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are red purple in         color whereas inflorescences of plants of the female parent         selection are pale bluish green in color.

Plants of the new Aechmea differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Aechmea are light silvery green         in color whereas leaves of plants of the male parent selection         are pink in color.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aechmea are upright to slightly         outwardly arching whereas leaves of plants of the male parent         selection are outwardly arching.     -   3. Plants of the new Aechmea have taller inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are red purple in         color whereas inflorescences of plants of the male parent         selection are pink and yellow in color.

Plants of the new Aechmea can be compared to plants of Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis X Aechmea fendleri ‘Blue Tango’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,743. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Aechmea and ‘Blue Tango’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Aechmea are more upright than and         not as arching as leaves of plants of ‘Blue Tango’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aechmea are light silvery green         in color whereas leaves of plants of ‘Blue Tango’ are more         glaucous and darker green in color.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are red purple in         color whereas inflorescences of plants of ‘Blue Tango’ are         bluish purple and fuchsia red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aechmea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color vallies cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aechmea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pink Tango’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pink Tango’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the spring and early summer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Princeton, Fla. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. and light levels ranged from 2,800 to 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were 15 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aechmea dichlamydea var. dichlamydea X     (Aechmea tessmannii x Aechmea fasciata) ‘Pink Tango’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Aechmea             dichlamydea var. dichlamydea.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Aechmea             tessmannii x Aechmea fasciata. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 to 45 days at             temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 to 90 days at             temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically beige to brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and to slightly outwardly             arching growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young,             becoming slightly outwardly arching with development; plants             readily produce offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of leaf canopy.—About 74             cm.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About             101 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 78 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves clasping;             simple.         -   Length.—About 68 cm.         -   Width, flattened.—Distally, about 5 cm; at the base, about             11 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate, strap-like.         -   Apex.—Sharply cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Pectinate; sharply spinose.         -   Aspect.—Upright to slightly arching with development.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; leathery; stiff; densely covered with trichomes;             slightly glossy.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface,             after removing trichomes: Close to 144A; venation, close to             144A; trichomes, close to NN155D. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface, after removing trichomes:             Close to 144A; venation, close to 144A; trichomes, close to             NN155D.         -   Marginal spines.—Density: About three to four per cm.             Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:             Acicular with sharp apices. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Long, open terminal             panicles with tightly branched lateral panicles supported by             erect and strong scapes; about 24 lateral panicles each with             about 15 to 17 individual flowers; flowers distichous,             sessile.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 11 to 13 weeks             after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Aechmea             are very long-lasting, typically bract color will be             maintained for about two months in the interior and about             2.5 to 5 months in the interior landscape depending on             environmental conditions; flowers and inflorescences             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 37.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 23 cm.         -   Lateral inflorescence length.—About 9 cm.         -   Lateral inflorescence width.—About 2.75 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid, pointed. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color: Close to N57A.         -   Flower length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7.5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl.             Length: About 2 cm. Width, proximally: About 5 mm. Shape:             Elongated ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, waxy; glossy. Color: When             opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to NN155D.             When opening and fully opened, outer surface: Distally,             close to N57A; proximally, close to 157A.         -   Sepals.—To date, sepal development has not been observed on             plants of the new Aechmea.         -   Primary or scape bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: One             subtending each lateral panicle. Length: About 12 cm. Width:             About 3.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; densely covered with             trichomes; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             58B to 58C. Color, lower surface: Close to between N57B and             58B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: One per flower;             subtending and closely appressed to the flower. Length:             About 1.4 cm. Width, flattened: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Broadly             ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, waxy; glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous, waxy;             densely covered with trichomes; moderately glossy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 58D. Color, lower surface: Close to             between N57A and 58A.         -   Scapes.—Length, primary, to base of inflorescence: About             48 cm. Diameter, primary: About 1.5 cm. Length, laterals:             About 6 cm. Diameter, laterals: About 5 mm. Strength,             primary and laterals: Strong. Aspect, primary: Upright.             Aspect, laterals: Horizontal to slightly curving upright.             Texture and luster, primary and laterals: Smooth, glabrous;             densely covered with trichomes; slightly glossy. Color,             primary and laterals: Close to N57A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 162A             to 162B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Close to 162C. Pollen: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.7 cm. Style             length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to 163C. Stigma             shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close to N163D. Ovary color:             Close to 157A.         -   Seeds.—To date, seed production has not been observed on             plants of the new Aechmea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 36° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been     observed to exhibit some resistance to Phytophthora and     Exserohelium. Plants of the new Aechmea not been observed to be     resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Aechmea plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aechmea plant named ‘Pink Tango’ as illustrated and described. 